Tales Told
by Old Beginning New Ending
Summary: Some stories are best told in the dark, and in the dark, those pale lips never ceased smiling. "Oh, would the Young Master like me to tell him a bedtime story?" Tribute to the works of Edgar Allan Poe


A/N: Not very good at creating dark moods. Fair warning: It may suck. And…maybe slight OOC? I can never get their personalities exactly right…but I guess no one really can, save for their originator. (Does Sebastian talk and explain this much? No? I didn't think so…)

Disclaimer: I own nothing more than this amateur piece of literature…and a very low self esteem, as you can plainly see….but by all means, give it a shot

Sebastian and Ciel belong to Yana Toboso, and all the lovely works of Edgar Allan Poe are err…rightfully his.

_Italics_ are direct quotes from the stories. (Excluding words said in emphasis)

* * *

Night had fallen. The moon's ethereal glow bathed the earth, light painting everything it touched with its soft blue tone. Black wisps of eerie clouds and bright specks of stars that scattered and streaked across the sky were absent tonight. The inky black canvas was bare, save for its one object and focal point. The moon was alone, full and solemn, and shone with great dignity and fortitude. Through the heavenly body, the world was granted light in darkness. However, the world was also littered with shadows that the light could not chase away. In the light, they were not hidden, but instead flourished under moonbeams. Shadows thrived in the night, as sinister as they were, in a way, beautiful.

This spectacle, however, remained unseen by the pair in the master's bedroom. Within house, silent as a grave, they remained enclosed from the night. Curtains draped the outside world, leaving them to their own dusk. Their dusk only had flames to keep the darkness at bay, but the shadows were much deadlier.

However, it was what lurked in the black abyss that truly set their hours of nightfall apart.

/././.

"Today went rather well, Young Master", the elder commented. His tone was without emotion, but the wicked grin upon pale lips that was only visible through the candle's flame was purely due to some sadistic pleasure. The young boy who he had referred to did not look up to see the predictable expression. He simply allowed the man to dress him in his night shirt, dexterous fingers buttoning and straightening the pristine fabric.

Three little flames atop three tall candles burned dimly in the dark room, their light varying from gold to vermillion hues. Though the light was weak, it maintained its purpose. The dark was kept at bay until the flames were extinguished under the demon's breath.

Ciel glanced up, not sure when to dismiss his 'loyal' servant just yet. "_Well_ wouldn't be my word of choice, however, knowing you Sebastian, you probably enjoyed the events that occurred", he replied. Cold blue eyes locked with smirking garnet that seemed to dance in firelight. He was almost surprised when the butler shrugged indifferently.

"In all honesty Young Master, I couldn't care less about the…" Sweet honeyed poison dripped from his words. "_Casualties_…though, it really was a shame about the…unfortunate circumstance that befell upon the manor…"

Ciel raised a brow. "And why is that?"

Embers flickered as it devoured the wick, inhaling the air they breathed. The sickly beautiful smile widened a fraction on the butler's face. "The library's contents were quite unique…I rather enjoyed their taste in literature." His response, though truthful, was met with expected skepticism and sarcasm.

"Let me guess: _Three Little Kittens_?"*

Despite the insinuation, the butler chuckled. It was far from good-humored, however. The sound resonated darkly and suddenly the boy felt oddly cold. Chilled, even. "Hardly, Young Master. I believe they are the works of Edgar Allan Poe. I happened across them during your…private meeting."

Ciel scoffed, turning his head away in light disdain. "You were lazing about reading fictitious, gothic tales while those heathens attempted to drug me and point a gun to my face?"

He bowed repentantly, though the gesture itself only seemed to mock the young boy. "I apologize for my actions; however I came to your aid nonetheless, did I not Young Master?"

"Tch…" The boy did not reply and only settled under the covers, shifting occasionally to find a comfortable position. After a moment of silence, he looked up to Sebastian's still smiling face, as the butler had yet to be dismissed. Not really caring for sleep for the moment, Ciel decided upon satisfying some miniscule amount of curiosity. "What stories have you read?"

"Oh, would the Young Master like me to tell him a bedtime story?" He was sure that one day, that butler would drive him to madness. That is, if he hadn't already.

"Don't be an idiot; answer me", Ciel snapped. He supposed he had walked into that one, but he would rather be burned at the stake than admit it.

"Very well, my Lord. The first of his story that I read was titled, _The Cask of Amontillado_." Since commenting upon the day, Sebastian's expression held no significant difference. Yet, why was it that upon looking into pools red akin to the color of dried blood sent sudden feelings of dread racing through his veins? Perhaps it was the way his eyes glowed with the firelight or most likely because he was diabolically amused by something. "I am sure the Young Master has heard of this narrative."

Ciel shook his head, though he knew the story well.

"That is quite odd, seeing as I was quite certain the story suited the Young Master's taste…" Another chuckle erupted from his throat; it was as dark as it was melodious. "After all, The Cask of Amontillado is a tale of revenge."

Ciel remained silent; all the while the flames of candelabra atop the side drawer wavered ever so slightly, causing their silhouettes to move fluidly against the walls.

The strange tension did not ease as Sebastian continued with Poe's tale. "The narrator, Montressor, who had been wronged by Fortunado, took vengeance upon him. However, he did so with impunity. He claimed that '_A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong_'…that is to say, he took vengeance upon Fortunado , making himself known to the one that wronged him, but evaded punishment for his actions." His smirk never once wavered upon explaining, eyes boring right into Ciel's cobalt blue.

"So, Montressor killed Fortunado and got away with it, achieving his ideal of retribution."

Sebastian's grin did not falter when he spoke. In fact, it widened like a predator catching sight of his prey. Or toying with it. "Correct. However it was never truly mentioned as to what Fortunado did, though Montressor did mention thousands of injuries and insults; but even with that, killing the fool seems…a bit unorthodox. It may have been his pride that was truly injured."

"People have died for less", Ciel replied. "And people have killed for less as well."

Sebastian nodded. "That is true, but it is my belief that Montressor was possibly deranged."

"Does killing for vengeance seem deranged to you, Sebastian?" It was Ciel's turn to smirk.

"Perhaps it does, as sanity is quite fragile especially among mortal men, Young Master." A dark scowl replaced Ciel's smirk. "Do not be offended, Young Master, as it is also my belief that every person is at best a little deranged." Sebastian pondered for a moment before speaking. "Entombing someone seems quite mad, does it not? Awaiting one's last breath to leave the body in complete darkness while starvation claws the senses and lunacy overtakes the mind from endless solitude, knowing that no one will find you; or worse yet…hoping for the rescue that will never come…it seems that it is not only demons that posses such cruelty."

"We've encountered worse."

"Yes, but those we've encountered were _obviously_ insane. Montressor is a bit of a conundrum as he calculated every action with precision, assuring Fortunado's fate; also, while he was securing the last brick into the wall, he felt sick at heart…obviously, he felt some remorse that he did not wish to acknowledge."

"Don't smile while saying such things; besides, I do not believe Montressor is mad at all. An eye for an eye―"

"Leaves the whole world blind", Sebastian finished.

"Then true justice is blind."

"Would you feel remorse, Young Master?"

Ciel sent Sebastian a cold glare. "Me? Never. It is, after all, justice."

"Justice…", the demon mused. "Yes…justice and madness…much like _The Tell Tale Heart_." Sebastian sat at the edge of the mattress, his weight slightly tugging the blanket from Ciel's upper body.

"Another of Poe's tales, I presume." Sebastian confirmed so. This time Ciel had not read the story, so he allowed Sebastian to elaborate without having to lie to the butler.

"The narrator took the life of a nameless old man, as he was driven to insanity. He stated he loved the old man, and that the old man treated him well. He had no motive, no passion, and yet he committed the crime." The smile upon pale, pale, lips was sinister, terrifying, and lovely altogether; it reflected a delicate mix of disgust and wonder. "Nevertheless, he claims he was sane."

The candle's glow provided light as well as the illusion of warmth, however, that was what it exactly was: an illusion. Ciel knew this because though he was tucked underneath the luxurious covers of his bed, he felt the degrees steadily drop. Nevertheless, he would not admit to it. "If he was without motive, then he truly was a madman." Ciel was pleasantly surprised that his voice appeared unaffected by his demonic servant.

"Have you any idea as to why he did it, Young Master?" Ciel shook his head. Sebastian smiled and leaned toward the boy. A gloved finger traced the fabric of the eye patch that Ciel had yet to remove. With ease, Sebastian pulled the string and the black material fell to the bed. Ciel's eye had already been open, revealing the insignia of the contract. The pentacle shone like amethyst beneath a blaze as Sebastian ran his thumb gently down Ciel's cheek, a touch without warmth leaving a trail of numbness on soft skin. The boy did not wince or turn away from the action, but locked eyes with Sebastian, his attention held by the strange fascination apparent in red orbs. Pale lips quirked upwards into a small grin before he spoke. In twisted affection, the demon answered, "He said…it was because of the eye."

Ciel's eyes widened ever so slightly as the butler withdrew his hand. "The old man's eye?"

"'_I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture -a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees -very gradually -I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever'", _Sebastian mocked. He turned to his stone-faced master, his still dark and striking smile present. "He named it the Evil Eye, for he blamed it for what he had been driven to do."

Blood pounded through his veins, yet his body was chilled to the very marrow of his bones. It took a great deal of will for Ciel not to reach up and touch his own eye, scarred by the demon's contract.

The contract that would drive the demon to do anything.

"How does justice play a role in this fable?"Ciel asked this quietly; he was sure his voice would have trembled, even just slightly, if spoken any louder.

"His tell tale heart, of course." The Earl was sure that if Sebastian kept smiling like that, not only would it be permanently stuck on his lips, but he would also have to endure its menacing effect until the day he died. "Oh? Is something the matter, my Lord?"

"Nothing…" Ciel murmured. "Continue."

"As you wish. He killed the old man, yet he still heard the beating of his heart. This was, of course, a delusion. It was his own heart that he heard, betraying him, and sinking him further into madness. The perpetual pounding growing louder and louder born of his own guilt caused him to confess his deed to the police, indicating where he hid the body while crying out _'It is the beating of his hideous heart!'_"

"How could an eye lead to such a thing…?"

"How indeed, Young Master." Ciel did not want to look up. He was sure that smirk was there, continuing to scorn him.

"Sebastian, I do hope that you are not referring to our contract." Vehemence trickled into his words, but they were raging torrents in his mind. He did not like what the demon may had been implying.

"Of course not, Young Master." He lowered his head in submission. "Of course not…"His voice was soft, but the laughter in it was evident enough, like if it were some joke or riddle that only he knew the answer to. It aggravated him to no end.

"Have you read anything else?" Ciel seethed.

"Such a demanding Young Master…" Sebastian stated with an infuriating smile, dismissing the question as though it were just a child's tantrum. "But, it is late and there is much work to be done tomorrow. I hope you understand, my Lord."

"What I understand, Sebastian", He looked haughtily upon his butler, the galling expression still present on pale features. ", is that you are the servant and I am the master of this house. I'll do as I please, and you'll do what I ask. Do not make me repeat myself; have you read anything else?"

Sebastian only smirked and did not inform his irate master that he did indeed repeat himself. "_The Fall of the House of Usher. _I apologize, Young Master, but this shall be the last story for tonight, as you are quite busy the next day._"_

"Fine." Ciel bit out. "Carry on."

"The story begins with the narrator off to see his childhood companion who suffers an illness and is in need of his comfort. They were close in boyhood, though the narrator states that he knew little of his friend, Roderick Usher. He arrives at the Usher manor, which the narrator describes as―"

"Sebastian. Skip the details." The slight burning sensation at the back of his left palm notified him that it was an order.

The demon's lips curled into a smirk. "Very well, my Lord. Roderick expects that he will die. Roderick's twin sister Madeline, who also suffers from an illness, and was presumed dead by her brother. He insists that he and the narrator entomb the body within the vault before her burial―"

"She was alive, wasn't she?"

For the third time that night, the sound of Sebastian's laughter reverberated in the dark room. "It is not polite to interrupt one while speaking, though I do praise you, my Lord! Very clever indeed. How did you guess?"

"You said she 'suffers', not suffered."

"It could have been a slip of a tongue, Young Master."

"Your tongue doesn't slip."

A small smirk. "True."

The hour was late and Ciel could feel the toll it was taking on his body. Though he would absolutely never tell his smug butler that. No, he was tired, but he still had his pride. "What else adds to the twist?"

Sebastian, with an exasperatingly knowing look, blinked and smiled. When alabaster eyelids opened, eyes of the devil immediately found Ciel's, shimmering shades of roses and poisons piercing his very core. Sebastian grinned manically just wide enough to bare his teeth. "The brother knew." When the sentence passed his lips, Ciel honestly thought what was so surprising about that.

"So he's insane, just as any of Poe's characters."

"Ah, but I believe his reasons are quite different from those you heard tonight. I think he killed his beloved sister, his sole companion for so many long years…because he couldn't bear to live without her."

For half a second, Ciel found himself dumbfounded. "He's..." The initial shock wore off soon enough. "truly insane."

"Quite so, Young Master. Even he acknowledges this, and that is precisely why he killed his dear sister Madeline. He knew his days were drawing to an end and he just couldn't bear to leave her in this world…" Blazing irises had yet to revert to their natural garnet state, the eyes seeming to devour the remaining light of the flames. Or perhaps they merely seemed dull and dim in comparison, much like everything else that compared to the butler. "Quite strange is it not?"

"What I find strange is that you seem to be able to find some logic within a lunatic's actions."

"They are twins and by that it is possible for me to infer that they are, as some would say, 'two halves of a whole'. One could not go living without the other. However, there are also many theories as to why he committed this act." A small laugh escaped; one of the candle's flames was reduced to a smoldering ember. "And as to why Madeline killed him."

Once more, Ciel was caught off guard. "Was she not entombed alive?"

"' '_Not hear it? - Yes, I hear it, and have heard it. Long - long - long - many minutes, many hours, many days, have I heard it - yet I dared not - oh, pity me, miserable wretch that I am! - I dared not - I dared not speak! We have put her living in the tomb! Said I not that my senses were acute? I now tell you that I heard her first feeble movements in the hollow coffin. I heard them - many, many days ago - yet I dared not - I dared not speak! And now - to-night - Ethelred - ha! Ha! - The breaking of the hermit's door, and the death-cry of the dragon, and the clangor of the shield! - say, rather, the rending of her coffin, and the grating of the iron hinges of her prison, and her struggles within the coppered archway of the vault! Oh whither shall I fly? Will she not be here anon? Is she not hurrying to upbraid me for my haste? Have I not heard her footstep on the stair? Do I not distinguish that heavy and horrible beating of her heart? Madman!" - Here he sprang furiously to his feet, and shrieked out his syllables, as if in the effort he were giving up his soul - " Madman ! I tell you that she now stands without the door! '", _Sebastian recited. "Roderick knew Madeline was alive, although whether he intentionally buried her remains a mystery. The theories include: Did Madeline return for her beloved brother, as he could not live without her and she cannot die without him? Or did Roderick kill her to end the Usher family line? Did she return for revenge? Perhaps Roderick killed Madeline as a way of suicide, by killing his 'other half'. "

"If he was at first unaware that Madeline was not dead, then how did he know later on?"

"Due to his illness, he developed some acute senses. Or, perhaps it was all just fear."Sebastian closed his eyes, as if to recollect a passage in the narrative. "It was his fears that truly ailed and tormented him, and perhaps Madeline was the physical embodiment of his fear. The fear that eradicated them both." If Ciel had been looking, he would have seen the ghastly smile upon sinful lips, an expression that Sebastian loved. His smile was one of the few features that gave any indication to his true nature.

"What of the narrator?" Ciel mumbled; his eyes focused on the unceasing movements of their shadows along the ceiling.

"He fled the house after Roderick died of fright as Madeline collapsed dead on top of him. He looked back just in time to see the manor fall to the ground, as did its master." Sebastian stood, informing Ciel that the story was finished and he was to leave shortly. "Strangely, the house itself seemed to be a character of its own. The author often described the dwelling with human-like attributes. The abode…was conscious. The mansion and Roderick share some characteristics, and maybe it is because of the house that Roderick was isolated, dark, and fearful. Similarly, Roderick falls dead and the house followed suit."

_Followed_. "The house followed him…" Ciel repeated.

_If it's your wish I will follow you everywhere. Even if your throne crumbles and your shiny crown turns to rust. Beside you as you lie, softly down, I will be. Until I hear the words, 'check mate'._

It was a sort of sinking sensation. The kind where you feel as though the air you breathe suddenly turned to lead and you feel your heart beat slow, yet you can still hear it pound in your ears. Beside the bed, Sebastian takes the candelabra and soon the remaining glow fades and leaves the boy to the shadows alone. "That ends the tale. Sleep well, my Lord. I shall wake you in the morning." He was halfway out the door when Ciel spoke.

"Sebastian." He inwardly cursed himself for croaking out his servant's name.

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Will you ever betray me?" the voice called out from the dark.

'Strange', the demon mused. It was a question. Not an order. "Never, my Lord."

"Will you ever leave my side?"

"Young Master? I've said this all before―"

"Sebastian. Remember your place and answer me." Sebastian smirked at the arrogant reply. All was well with the boy.

"Never, Young Master. I will never betray nor leave you and I shall follow you until the very end."

Long minutes passed without so much as a sound. Only the remaining flames danced and swayed as the demon awaited his order.

"You may leave, Sebastian."

The dutiful butler gave a small bow. "Goodnight, Young Master." The sound of the door closing was heard from the far side of the room.

Ciel released a shaky breath, willing his eyes to shut and immerse himself in the black of night. When his weary mind finally accepted sleep, he did not dream of fire nor of his parents' deaths. He did not dream of torture and dark faces with wicked expressions. He dreamt of ravens. Dark as dusk with eyes bleeding red, they flocked to him and in terrible shrills, they each repeated the same word in a never-ending chorus:

"_Nevermore, nevermore!_"

/./././.

As Sebastian closed the door, the very same sinister, lovely, and altogether wicked smile was plastered on his lips. Eyes that shimmered like a jewel of avarice narrowed as he shook with silent laughter.

"_In pace requiescat "_,* he murmured to the shadows, the smile everlasting.

He extinguished the candle's last flames.

* * *

A/N: *= It's a nursery rhyme. Maybe some of you have heard it in kindergarten?

*= It's really supposed to be requiescat in pace (aka RIP), but that's the way it was used in The Cask of Amontillado. It means, "May he/she rest in peace." 'Requiescat' meaning may he or she rest and 'in pace' meaning in peace. Poe might have used a reverse order because the term was used in masonry. Not really sure…correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm sure all of you have guessed, but if not, the dream was from The Raven, a poem by Edgar Allan Poe. So, love it? Hate it? Frankly, I worked quite a bit on this piece, and I am well aware that I barely even scratched the surface with analyzing Poe's work…but I tried to work with what was relevant to Kuroshitsuji…-cough- sorry, but I did warn you…

I tried researching more about the stories than just going with what I had in mind. It helped quite a lot. Does that count as cheating? Well, I tried to start off strong, but I gradually slacked off…again. But I do like the ending, though it seemed abrupt…and made little to no sense (like the beginning)…did it also bother you that in practically every other sentence, Sebastian says "Young Master" or "my Lord"? I'd like to know what you personally think about what I've come up with. Pointing out spelling/grammar errors would be nice too since I lack a beta…

I don't see many fics about Poe's stories with Kuro…so, if there are and you think that I may have ripped off the idea, I assure you I did not. And whoever did so before me probably did it better anyways :P


End file.
